Nine Lives
by iwastetimechasingcars
Summary: "You're supposed to be dead" Something about that voice. There was something about it that didn't want me to run. I would've ran if it were anybody else's. But hers was different. "I'm a cat with nine lives" I responded. *Discontinued*
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: "You're supposed to be dead" Something about that voice. There was something about it that didn't want me to run. I would've ran if it were anybody else's. But hers was different. "I'm a cat with nine lives" **

!&!

_Kyo POV_

I can't stop running. I can't.

Don't stop running. They'll catch you for sure.

I felt my legs burn. Burn. It burned more than it usually did. And I ran a lot from trying to get away from the police.

Who spilled the damn secret about me running away from the household to make Akito call the Poe-Poe on me?

I didn't tell anyone what I did.

I turned around for one quick second.

Three people in white came running at me with sticks.

I didn't stop running. If I stop, I won't be able to run. I looked at the cliff in front of me. There were trees near the edge. I climbed up on the tree and stayed o the branch. I looked down from the cliff.

The house was near here.

"I saw him come over here!"

I snapped my head behind me. They were looking for me. I looked back down the cliff.

Only one shot at this.

I jumped off the branch and used one of my legs to spring me away from the tree. The wind was brutal. The cliff wasn't so high, but as long as I knew I was closer to the house, I felt a small wave of relief. I fel on the ground with a loud _thud. _

I let my body rest there for a bit. I was too tired to move.

"He jumped over here!" I saw one of the three guys come up to the edge of the cliff and almost tripped. He looked down at me. "There is no way he could've survived that. That has to be at least a 50 foot drop. C'mon, let's tell the boss" The three left as I breathed for air. Dumbasses.

No way I could've survived that? Well you never met a Sohma. Especially a _cursed_ Sohma.

It took a while to get my breath and regain some stamina, but once I id, I tried to get up. But I regretted it. My arms hurt so much. One was covered in scratched and I was positive the other was fractured. I tried to get up a little more carefully now. Shigure's house couldn't have been that far.

I hel on to the arm that hurt the most and walked. Shigure's couldn't have been far.

"Y-You're supposed to be dead"

Why didn't I run?

I know I would have.

I turned around.

Her voice.

It was different than anybody else's. Hers was more…. Welcoming.

"I'm a cat with nine lives" I said. She looked at me. Brown hair cascaded down her back and two blue eyes. She wore a school uniform. The same one as that damn rat's.

She must have been familiar with this place. She didn't seem lost. Not one bit. Her eyes didn't say 'I wish I wouldn't have gone lost' She wasn't lost.

I must've looked horrible. My pants were torn at the bottom with mud stains all over them and my shirt…. Well it shouldn't even be considered a shirt now.

I felt faint. I haven't eaten in two days. I've been on the run longer than 2 years. I fell to my knees.

She gasped and instantly tried to get me up. You know what sucked the most? I transformed.

"Another one?" she said as she looked at me. A bright orange tabby cat with a bunch of scratches.

She put me in her arms and grabbed my clothes. Then she ran. I saw Shigure's house come into view. She must know them.

She opened the tatami door and dropped everything but me.

"Shigure!" She called. She put me on a pillow and ran into a room.

Odd. This place looks clean. Did they finally decide that this place had a stink of a dead animal?

"What? A cat? I am sure that there is—" Shigure's voice came in my ears, but I couldn't see him.

"Shigure! The is an orange cat in the room! He was a human before I helped him up!" I heard her say.

"Shigure? What are you two yelling about?" Yuki's voice was heard. It made me mad. He already knew her. The sweet girl who decided to let a stranger in the house. A stranger who is supposed to be dead.

"There's a cat!" I heard her say, "I'm positive its one of the zodiac! He transformed!"

"The stupid cat…" Yuki mumbled. I heard a door open and saw the three leave the room.

They looked at me. Yuki's face looked like _He's alive. _Shigure's looked like _He's hurt…. _But the girl's face. I paid attention to hers. Something drawn me to her. She looked at me as if I was the Sohma's secret.

"I'll get Hatori" Shigure finally said. I looked at him.

"Don't even think about it, Shigure" I said. Hatori isn't coming. He'll tell Akito I'm alive. I don't want to see his stupid face. It's his damn fault why I'm like this right now.

"So the cat speaks" Yuki said. I growled.

"And I live" I told him.

There was a puff of smoke. The same one that happened when I transformed.

The girl turned around before the smoke faded.

"Horrible timing as usual" Yuki said, throwing me my pants.

"I'd sock you in the face but I'm positive that the police are coming here for asking about my missing body from the cliff" I said, putting on my pants.

"You could turn around now Tohru" Shigure said. Tohru? So that's her name?

"You fell from the cliff?" She asked me, her eyes wide. I ignored her. It took a lot for me not to. That voice drew me to her.

"We need to call Hatori. He needs to disinfect all those scratches and check your arm" Shigure said. He reached for the phone again.

"Don't. No way in hell am I going back there" I said. I grabbed my arm.

"I could disinfect it" Tohru said.

"No need to bother you with a cat" Rat Boy said, "He'll be fine"

"Don't piss me off you damn pansy. I grew one hell of a lot tougher from being on my own for a while" I said.

"He still needs help" she muttered. She walked past me and upstairs.

"Why did you come here?" Yuki asked me.

Now I didn't exactly have an answer for that. I mean, what am I supposed to say? 'Oh, I just decide to stay here in hiding since I don't wanna be caught'? Well. Just damn peachy.

A/N: How was that? It'll get more interesting as it progresses. R&R!


	2. Chapter 2

_Kyo POV_

"Ow! That burns!" I yelled. Tohru took the wet towel off of the wound.

"I'm sorry" she said, "I could use water instead of alcohol if you want"

I looked at her. Why was she being so nice to me? Me? The cat who isn't even supposed to be alive. Why?

"No, it's okay" I said. She wiped the wound with a dry towel before putting the one drenched in alcohol on my arm.

I wouldn't be in this position if Akito hadn't thrown me. Thrown me into the banquet like I was actually needed. But the reason he did it was to get a reaction out of me. That was two years ago. But I had to; he's the head of the family. And that meant he could kill you if he wanted to, and you had to listen to me. But all he knew was that I was dead. Dead. I wasn't needed in that family. He just used me as a toy.

I still remember that day. And I still hate it.

I hate it more and more each time. It's left me bruised and scarred.

"Your name is Kyo, right?"

The Welcoming Voice.

The voice of Tohru.

I turned back to look at her.

"Uh, yeah" I mumbled as she bandaged a scratch on my arm.

"Are you hungry?" she asked me as she knotted the bandage.

Of course I'm hungry. I haven't eaten in two days.

I nodded. She got up and walked into the kitchen.

Never in my life have I been treated this nicely. Not once.

And I'm a complete stranger to her.

"Here's some rice balls" Tohru came back into the room carrying a plate of rice balls. She set them down on the table in front of me. "I know its not much, but I still need to get some groceries" She smiled.

I took one of the rice balls and bit into it. It wasn't bland or salty. But hey, I'm starving, so of course it tastes good.

There were three on the plate, and I ate them up.

There was a wolf howl. Something must've happened.

Shigure walked in the room, humming as if it were a usual day.

The wolf howled again. And Shigure instantly stopped. His eyes changed from friendly, to fear.

"The police are coming here" Shigure said.

My eyes widened.

"You mean here? Like in this property?" I choked out.

"Yes" He mumbled. "We need to hide you"

I did the first thing that I thought of.

I hugged Tohru. There was a puff of smoke again and I was lying on Tohru's as a cat. I grabbed my fallen clothes with my teeth and put them in the hamper in the laundry room.

"You stupid cat" Yuki muttered as he saw me laying by the shoes.

I would've told him something, but someone knocked on the door.

"Police! Open up!"

I held back a hiss and laid down quietly.

Yuki slid the door open and two cops barged in.

"He has to be here. His body was missing when we came back" One of them said.

"Excuse me officer, but who are you looking for?" Yuki asked.

"We're looking for a teenager. At least 16. Orange hair. And he most likely has a lot of wounds" the other said.

"We don't know anyone like that" Shigure said.

"We need to look around the house for him" The first cop said. Tohru stood up as the cops went to look upstairs first. Yuki, Shigure and Toru followed them upstairs, even though they knew I was here. I followed anyway.

I hopped up the steps and followed closely behind Tohru. They searched in every room. But no trace of me. When they searched downstairs, they saw me.

"Why does the cat follow the girl around?" Asked one cop. Let's call him 'Ass-Wagon'

They all turned back and looked at me.

"Oh, we all think he has a crush on her" Shigure said. Oh he is so dead.

"Why is it orange?" The other cop said. Let's call him 'Fudge-Nugget'

"He's a tabby cat" Yuki answered.

They turned back to look in the kitchen.

"Well he's not here" Said Fudge-Nugget.

"We lost him again" Said Ass-Wagon in his walke-talkie. They left the house.

But they saw how bad my injuries were. They knew I couldn't have gone far.

"You stupid cat" Yuki said, "Why did you have to come here?"

"He's your family" Tohru said before I could yell at Yuki.

We both looked at her.

"You need to be kind to your family, or you could regret everything horrible you did to that family member. You could lose him and not have a chance to say ne last thing you might not regret. And before you know it, they'll be gone" She said this as if she knew what she was talking about.

I couldn't handle the atmosphere right now.

It was dense with melancholy. I trotted to the hamper and pulled out my clothes.

How did she know what she was talking about? Why was she here? How did she find out about the curse? Why is she so nice?

I couldn't handle it.

I had to get out of here tonight.

TTT

It wouldn't take long for her to realize that I'm not there, and she'd be glad. They'd all be glad that the cat is gone. I opened the window and looked down. Two story drop. The cliff was bigger. The wind was cold.

It whistled.

It howled.

It waited for me to jump.

I had to get out of here. They'd be happy. There wouldn't be a reason that Tohru would worry about me. There would be no proof that I'm alive.

But they know I don't die that easily.

I looked down again. It wouldn't take long.

But then dinner replayed in my mind.

_[Flashback]_

_Stars. They were the only they had when there was a new moon. I stared up. I don't care if they ate. I didn't need food now anyhow. They had all the food they needed. I last longer. _

_I smelled Rice Balls and Miso Soup. Even though I wanted some, they probably didn't have enough for me. _

"_Are you hungry?"_

_Tohru climbed up on the rood and held some rice balls and miso in her hand. _

"_I made some extra in case you wanted some" she said. I looked up at the stars. It would be best for her if I didn't talk to her. _

_It would be best for everyone. _

"_I'll just leave it here for you then" she said, placing the food near me. She went back down and into the dining room. _

_Even though I'm a stranger, she knows what family is. _

_It's more than a bond of blood by one or more people._

_It's way more than that. _

_[Flashback End]_

Why didn't I want to leave?


	3. Chapter 3

_Kyo's POV_

_Tic Toc Tic Toc Tic Toc_

If that stupid clock was the only thing I could hear, then everyone else is asleep.

_Tic Toc Tic Toc_

If I ever come here again, I'm throwing that clock at Shigure's head.

I jumped.

I'm tired of being called a coward. I'm tired of being called stupid. And I'm tired of being called _dead._

Dead is what my mother is. And I don't plan to follow in her steps right now.

I landed on the ground silently. It didn't hurt. I hit the ground running.

_Stop here. _

But I didn't want to stop.

My feet pounded the floor and crushed dry leaves on the ground. I kept running.

But no matter what. I couldn't stop thinking about how I got into this mess.

I remember being invited to the banquet one year. At first, I was confused, but I was told to go. Akito told me. So I did.

I dressed in my regular clothes, and when I got in there, everyone quieted down. They wouldn't stop staring at me until Akito came in. Akito called me forth and he whispered the one thing I didn't expect.

_I killed your mother._

I was so scared. The first thing I did was sock him. And then I ran. I ran away. I was so scared.

All this time when people thought I was the fault of my mother's death. But it was Akito.

My first 'death' was on February 12th. I faked drowning. And then I was on the run. Akito found out how I 'died' and somebody didn't believe it. He sent people after me.

Putting me in the place where I am now.

Basically digging my own _grave_.

So basically, I'm dead.

Humming snapped me out of my memories.

Happy humming. Like something I remember seeing from a detergent commercial or something like that.

I stopped instantly, but my last step smashed a branch in two.

The humming stopped.

We both waited and the humming continued again. I stood frozen.

Who the hell would be out in the middle of the night?

I stayed that way. No way anybody could see me.

Until they bumped into me. I didn't transform though (thank God) but I felt them fall.

It was a girl for sure. I heard that 'Ow!' escape from her mouth.

"That hurt…" she mumbled.

"Tohru?" I asked. I instantly regretted it. I was found out.

"Kyo?" she said in the darkness. I could barely make out her form in the darkness.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked. Might as well ask.

"I just came back from work. What are you doing out here?" She asked as I helped her up.

Work. What am I doing here?

"Making sure nobody is here" I quickly lied.

I grabbed her hand and helped her up. She muttered a quick thank-you and walked to the house. I had no choice but to follow her.

Owls hooted, wolves howled and the wind whistled.

The sound of nature would disgust me. But it was so calming.

"Are you planning to move in?" Tohru asked.

Move in? I never thought of it. Just as a place to hide and run away after I could run.

"You're still hurt, I don't think you should be out. It's still cold outside" Tohru walked ahead of me, more quiet than I was.

"I would have no place to go. I just happened to be lucky that I ran in this direction" I said. "A few years ago, they came after me. I happened to run in this direction. But I knew I wasn't allowed to go in. So I kept running. Today I didn't plan to go in, you took me in"

She stopped and turned around.

"But they're your family. They're supposed to be open to you and treat you like they are family. Not a stranger" she told me. I looked at her.

"The cat was left out of the banquet. The cat shouldn't be in the family either" That was the philosophy I lived off of. The saying that pushed me harder.

"Everyone has a family. Sometimes the family is friends, or sometimes it's just smaller than others" she looked at me, looking for something. "My friends are my family"

"I have no friends" I told her.

By then, she stopped talking. Probably because she had nothing to say to that. I wouldn't.

* * *

I don't know how Tohru convinced me to stay until I get better, but she did.

I wouldn't be here long then, I heal fast. You could give me a broken leg and I will heal within a week. I've always had that.

I stared up at the stars. They look so bright without the moon. But every one would rather look at the moon. It's bright, and they felt safe with it.

And they'd feel safe with out the cat.

* * *

"School?" I asked, as Tohru gave me some soup that Saturday.

"Yeah, you've been gone 3 years, I doubt any one would recognize you" Tohru told me, sitting in her own seat.

"There weren't any reports on it if I recall" Shigure said.

"Well he's only supposed to stay here until he gets better. He looks perfectly fine" Yuki said. "Aside from that scar on his face" My hands instinctively went up to the scar on my right cheek. It always remained that blood red instead of the pale color that people usually get.

"How did you get that scar, Kyo?" Tohru asked me, sipping her soup.

"I don't remember" I muttered.

"Of course, the cat also forgot to go to the banquet" Yuki said, getting up.

I stood up immediately.

"Don't worry, I won't forget to leave" I said. I walked out of the house and closed the door behind me.

School. Damn. Now I have to go. At least Akito won't expect me there.

**A/N: Hey there party peoples! Ok. Ok. There's a link on my profile that you guys need to go to so you could be all typey typey. I don't giva shit if that's not a word. Cuz neither is Alabama. It's a state. Ok. So… **

**R&R**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I know, it may be a quick update, but this is just basically an apology because I take forever to update. And I'm a bit bored and nervous. So… yeah…**

_**Kyo's POV**_

"I hope you die" I muttered to Yuki as we walked to school.

"You're the one who's supposed to be dead" He said. I glared at him. He's lucky Tohru is in between us or I would've ripped his head off.

I knew I shouldn't though. Common sense told me enough that this is NOT how you want to start your first day of school. Considering we haven't even gotten remotely close to the school.

But one thing frequently questioned my mind.

_How did Tohru know I was supposed to be dead?_

I knew I couldn't ask her. Not with this damn rat around.

_Bzzt Bzzt_

I looked toward Yuki, who had his phone out and was checking a message, and he snapped his phone shut.

"The student council wants me there now. I'll try to make sure that Momiji and Hatsuharu don't get near the second-year building" Yuki said, walking in a different direction.

Wait. Momiji and Hatsuharu?

"Momiji and Hatsuharu go to school there?" I asked Tohru once Yuki was out of ear-shot.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Momiji has a lot of friends here and Haru has a lot of girls chasing after him. They still prefer to hang out with me and Yuki" she said, looking up at me.

I looked up at the sky. When you have questions that no one could answer, it was best to look at nothing. To me, the sky was nothing.

"Why did you run away?"

Her voice was so soft, I almost didn't hear it in the nothingness in my head.

Wow, that makes me sound stupid.

"Because" I said, "I lost someone. And the truth scared me"

There was a silence between us.

"How did you know I was dead?" I asked her.

She stopped.

I turned back and looked at her questionably. She began to dig in her backpack and took out a picture. She held it up to me.

"I told Shigure about how I like the cat of the zodiac the best, and I guess he told Akito. Akito called me to the household and gave me a picture of you, saying you were dead. So the cat doesn't exist. I began crying because the cat didn't deserve to die. I recognized you from the photo" The picture was of me, I think my mom took it before she died, and I was sitting on the grass trying to pick up a lady bug.

I chuckled a bit. She dropped the photo back into her back pack.

"What's so funny?" she asked me.

"That you would cry for a dead person you don't even know" I said.

We began to walk again in silence. It was so peaceful. But I'll have to get used to this school schedule.

"If you don't get into any fights in school, Shigure said I should take you out bowling. He mentioned you like the game and love to compete" She said. We continued to walk.

"And if I get into fights?" I asked.

"No bowling. Oh, sorry I didn't make your lunch. I worked the late shift last night and wasn't able to wake up early"

Oh yeah. Forgot she was gone since 11 o'clock.

Then she came back at 2 in the morning.

I should've made the food myself.

!&!

It was hard to pay attention in class. I already went through the introductions and all, but my senses were always more alert in crowded places with lots of people.

But at least lunch was the last part of the day.

I found the roof a building suitable to eat as I watched everybody below eat their lunch.

My stomach growled.

I turned on my back and looked up at the sky, putting my hand on my forehead to move my hair out of the way.

My stomach growled again. I stood up and walked downstairs. If I was hungry, I might as well head to Shigure's. I mean, Momiji and Hatsuharu might follow them. So, it'd be best if I didn't.

I opened the exit door and slipped outside unnoticed.

Everyone was in a group eating their lunches. Laughing, smiling, and the occasional poke. It made me sick.

I hated it how everyone had a friend. More like an acquaintance. A friend is some one you'd consider family. I have no friends.

God, I am such a loner.

!&!

By the time I got home, let's just say that Shigure and his editor were in a WTF moment.

"What are you doing here so early?" Shigure asked.

"ANOTHER ONE! You have a due date! GET WRITING AND STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE KIDS!" his editor yelled, shoving him into his room and locking the door. She faced me.

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

Awkward…

!&!

"And then he won't even pick up! And on top of that Shigure doesn't know how to write on due dates!" The editor blew her nose into the napkin.

God knows how we started talking about her love life, but… yeah. We did.

"Then leave a message telling the idiot to pick up before you murder him with a lunchbox" I said, biting into a piece or orange chicken I ordered.

"YOU'RE RIGHT! I'll do that right now!" She pulled her f[phone out of her pocket and dialed, putting the ear to her phone.

The tatami door behind me slid open, and Tohru walked in.

"We're home!" she announced happily.

Yuki walked in closely behind her.

"And we brought take-out!" he held up a small bag filled with Chinese food. Then he spotted what was on the table.

Chinese take-out.

…

…

…

…

…

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! HELP ME! I'M BEING TRAPPED PRISONER I'M—" God, I never knew how loud Shigure could possibly scream.

"SHUT UP!" I yelled. He stopped screaming.

"Why is he in the room?" Tohru asked, taking her shoes off.

"Oh, well she's stressed about her boyfriend, and since she can't get the story for the due date, she locked him in there until he's done" I explained. Ooh, fortune cookie.

I opened the small package and cracked the cookie open. I slipped the paper out and ate the cookie. I didn't care about my fortune, but I love me some fortune cookie.

"What's your fortune?" Tohru asked, sitting next to me and getting a fortune cookie for herself.

I looked at the paper.

_Secrets kept are secrets indeed, secrets you keep are no mystery, so keep your mouth shut and stay in shadows  
Lucky no.: 17, 21, 43, 12, 53, 24_

"Well, first this thing goes all ninja-ish on me, then it tells me to shut up and hide" I threw the paper back on the table. Tohru grabbed the small slip of paper and read it over a few times.

"I'd say someone is going to find out your secret. Like your crush or something" She said. She placed the paper back on the table and opened her fortune cookie. She read the paper before eating it.

She smiled brightly and blushed a bit.

"Wow, you blush at a piece of paper" I chuckled to myself. Hey… where did the editor go?

"Not at the piece of paper! What it's telling me!" Okay, lemme get this straight, it's seducing her?

"Well, what is it telling you?" I said getting some more orange chicken. She held the paper up to me so I could read it.

_You help others, and your reward is love  
Lucky No.: 21, 12, 17, 43, 24, 53_

"I hope to God that fortune cookie isn't talking about the love the editor has" Do you want her to be on the phone crying to someone because her boyfriend threw a meatball at her?

We both looked outside the door and saw the editor was yelling into her phone.

"SOMEONE FEED ME! I'M STARVING AND –Ooh! Fortune cookie!" Shigure began to yell, but I threw a fortune cookie in his air vent thing.

**Shigure's Fortune Time**

I opened my first cookie.

_Help me! I'm being held captive by ninjas! _

Such a funny fortune! I opened the second cookie.

_Ignore last fortune_

**Back with the story**

"That shut him up" I said, sitting back down and stretching.

"Oh yeah!" Tohru got up and raced upstairs.

…

…

…

…

…

I hope to God she's not going to go get a tranquilizer dart. People _have _attempted that ya know.

She came back downstairs holding tickets.

"You didn't get into fights in school today! So we're going bowling!"

Bowling…

I seem to recall her saying something about that.

I smiled.

"Just cuz you're a girl doesn't mean I'll go easy on you" I smirked.

"And just cuz you're a guy doesn't mean I can't win" she smiled.

It kinda does.

**A/N: Hello people who are reading this story! Just as an FYI, Shigure's fortune cookie were so psychic that they spazzed him out. OK! Well…**

**R&R!**


	5. Chapter 5

There was so much this world could offer.

Like friendship, love, happiness, memories, treasure, music, art, fun, and so much more. I can't believe I ran away from it.

"I can't believe we tied," I said, as me and Tohru placed the bowling shoes on the counter and walked to the exit.

Tohru smiled, "One of my friends work here, so I come often"

"And?" I asked, leaving the building.

"I made a full strike game once before" she said.

We walked in silence for a bit. But when we were passing a building, I noticed Tohru was cold. I unzipped my black hoodie and gave it to her. She muttered a soft 'thank you' before slipping it on and putting up hood.

"Hey, Kyo?"she asked.

"Hm?" I asked, looking forward.

"I have a question"

"I have an answer"

"What happened to your dad?"

…

…

…

…

…

I don't have that answer. Not for that question.

"I'll tell you what happened to my mother, if it helps" she offered.

I shook my head. I don't know what happened to my dad.

"He just left. Before I was born" I said.

She looked up at me. But looked down at her feet while we walked.

"She died in a car crash," she said. She was about to say more, but I cut her off.

"Don't say the details. I didn't tell you mine" I said. She smiled up at me.

We walked the rest of the way home in silence.

!*!

(Time skip: Next day: lunch)

_Tohru's POV_

I smiled at Momiji and Hatsuharu as they ate their lunch. I sat down next to them.

"Hi Tohru!" Momiji said happily.

"Hello Momiji," I said. I took out my lunch and began to eat.

"Momiji, weren't you going to tell me something?" Hatsuharu said, as he leaned back against the tree.

Momiji looked confused a bit, but then his face brightened, and then it turned semi-serious.

"But you have to keep quiet about this, don't tell" Momiji held out his pinkies at us for a pinkie promise, which we both did.

"What's so special that we can't tell anyone?" Hatsuharu asked.

"I saw Kyo last night!"

Wait. What?

"Kyo? The boy that said Akito is dead?" I asked.

Yuki told me to be very careful when they talk about Kyo. And to act as if I only know that Akito said he's dead.

"But he's not! I saw him yesterday!" Momiji said.

"Momiji, you're probably just seeing things. A lot of people look like him. He's –" Hatsuharu began to say.

"He's _alive!" _Momiji said, "I saw him!"

"No, he isn't. He left the household years ago" Hatsuharu the bunny.

"But everyone wants to leave from there. Just think of it. He hated it anyway. And I saw him!" Momiji continued.

"Okay, let's say it was him, where did you see him?" Haru asked.

"Last night! I was going to dad's car and I saw him walking with someone. I couldn't see who though. They had a hood on" Momiji explained.

"I don't believe you" Haru turned on his back and looked up at the sky.

"But he was there! I saw him! Same orange hair and eyes!"

Kyo…

He gave me his hoodie last night to wear. And Momiji saw him because of that…

!&!

_Kyo's POV_

I paid attention to Tohru as we walked home. She told me to put up my hood, so I did.

Her face was pale, and she was in deep thought.

"Tohru?" I asked.

Nothing.

"Tohruuu?"

Nothing.

"Tohru!"

She looked at me.

"Yes?"

"You okay?"

She looked at me desperately.

"We need to get home" she whispered. But it still sounded urgent. I grabbed on to her wrist and began to run. I had to slow down for her to keep up though.

We stopped in the front of the house, panting for breath.

"They're, we're home. Now what's got you freaked?" I asked, getting the water bottle from my backpack and drinking it down.

"Momiji—"

"Tohru? Is that yooouuuu?" Shigure asked, popping his head out of the tatami door.

"Oh, hi Shigure" She said.

Did I mention how much that old dog annoys me?

Did I?

Well, he pisses me off.

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait guys. Just had to get something down. I know it's short too, but I'll make the next chapter a long one. **

**So what's your favorite song? **

**Mine is Keep it Cool by Us Royalty. **

**Gotta love Indie Rock. **

**Peace!**

**R&R**


	6. Chapter 6

"Labels don't define _me!" _I yelled. I socked him in the gut, sending him falling on his ass.

"Either way, you're still stupid." He smirked, and got up, wincing a bit in the pain that still lingered on him.

"But that doesn't make you smart!" I socked him again, in the lip this time. Then fell back on the hard concrete, sliding behind to the rest of the people watching this. "Calling me stupid doesn't make you any smarter."

I turned around and pulled the hood up on my jacket. God, I hated rain. I stuffed my hands in my pocket, gently touching the necklace I had gotten.

Calling a person ugly doesn't make you pretty. Calling someone fat doesn't make you perfect. Calling anybody fake doesn't make you real. If you call someone weak, you aren't strong. Because labels don't define anybody.

I walked in the rainy, abandoned night streets, walking home. I came back in town for this fight. The little bastard is lucky I didn't choke him.

I rubbed the bottom of my jaw. Even though the bastard was a pain in the ass, he could hit hard. I'm positive that I'd have a bruise there in the morning. Nope. It's insta-bruising for sure.

Yuki and Tohru were pretty close. But I knew he liked somebody else. He never ate lunch with Tohru.

_Momiji saw you. _

I don't know how he saw me, because I was positive no one was there.

Just like the fortune cookie said…

!&!

"A commercial?" I asked aloud, leaning back in my chair in Drama.

"Yes! We're suppose advertise something, any ideas?" Uotoni asked me. We were divided into groups. It just happens Tohru's friends and I were in the same group.

"Hot sauce." Hanajimi said almost instantly.

…

…

…

…

"Any other ideas that doesn't involve out tongues burning?" Uotoni asked.

"Zombie survival kit?" I said. What? I read about it in a book.

And who doesn't like zombies? I mean, Hanajima already has that part down.

"If we do that, then the person who plays the zombie will eat you." Uotoni said.

"It's a zombie survival kit. You're supposed to show how effective it is against zombies so we don't have to pay for an overpriced towel called SHAM WOW!" I said sarcastically. Sorry, I'm a wise ass. Dot dot curve. :)

"I'll show you how to survive a zombie attack." Uotoni was then over my desk with a lead pipe pointed at my forehead.

"Nah, I'm good." I answered.

"Tohru, what do you think we should do?" Hanajima asked, making us look at Tohru.

"Uh… maybe we could do a commercial about a movie or an instrument or a song." She said softly.

"I think we should do it on the movie _Zombieland_." Uotoni said.

"We should do it on the viola." Hanajima said.

"All I Want by A Day to Remember." I said immediately.

Gotta love Rock. :)

We growled at each other. I'm serious. My inner cat growled. Uotoni's –let's just call her Blondie—inner Yankee came out. Hanajima's inner… um… inner… witch growled. Yeah. Witch. That suits her.

"I don't care what we're doing. It needs music." I said, standing up.

"It needs zombies." Blondie snapped back.

God, this is going to take forever.

:&:

After about…. 73 arguments in the entire school day with Blondie, I wanted potato chips.

So I waited patiently for Tohru outside her last class as idiots stared at me.

"Who is he waiting for?"

"Only Tohru Honda is in there!"

"What! ? But why her?"

God, you just had to love the school gossip.

"Just shut up or I go to Juvy for sending your asses to hell!" I yelled.

See? Patiently.

"Kyo? Why are you waiting for me?" Tohru walked out of the room, folding a paper and putting it in her back pack.

"I wanna go to a convenient store. Let's get some chips." I said. I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and began to walk out of the building, Tohru tagging along.

~!~

It didn't take long to go to a 7-11. In fact, Tohru practically drooled over a Kit-Kat. Not just any Kit-Kat. The LAST Kit-Kat

"If you want it, buy it." I said, handing her a 5. What? It's easy breaking into Yuki's 'love' locker.

I walked to the potato chips section and studied the varieties.

Lays. Doritos. Munchos. Cheetos. Ruffles. Oh look, they sell Beef Jerky. And Beef Jerky on a stick, AKA, Slim Jim. Hm… What is they missing…? Hm…

After about 3 minutes of dis_CUSSING_ with the voice in my head, I grabbed some Lays and walked to the cashier where she was handing Tohru pennies as change.

The lady in conning her.

"Thank you!" Tohru said, grabbing the 3 pennies and chocolate.

"Give her back all the change!" I said. The lady looked at me.

"I did." She barked.

"3 pennies? How about 3 bucks? A king size bar is two dollars. Give her back the change." I said again.

The cashier looked at me and opened the cash register, pulling out three singles and handing it to Tohru.

"Oh, by the way, I'm paying for this." I smirked as I put the Lays on the counter. I grabbed two bills from Tohru and placed them on the counter.

Mess with me, I mess back.

Dot dot curve. :)

**~!~**

**Somewhere else**

"Why do I continue to doubt you, Shigure?"

"Maybe if you'd believe me for once, I could prove to you that he's there." Shigure told him.

"It is impossible to spell 'believe' without 'lie' Shigure." The Sohma born under the dragon replied as he searched through his papers. "And Kyo left years ago, why would he come back?"

To that, nobody had an answer, not even Kyo himself.

**Back With Kyo**

God, my nose itched.

I twitched my nose as if the itch would go away.

But it wouldn't.

When I finally gave up, I dared to look up from the bus stop I stood at.

What is up with all the girls wearing skinny jeans? Not one single boot cut jean in sight. And guys are wearing it too!

I opened my potato chips and took out one of the greasiest substances on Earth. God, they were fatty, but good.

"Who was picking us up again?" I asked as I popped a chip in my mouth.

"No one! We're just waiting for Hana and Uo!" Tohru said as she nibbled on her Kit-Kat.

Wait. Blondie and Witchy? Why are we waiting for them?

"Why?" I asked, chewing mindlessly on my potato chip.

"Well, they're taking me to my job. Are you staying?" She asked, looking up at me.

I looked at her eyes. They were a soft hue of blue.

"Sure." I said, tearing my gaze away to look at my feet.

I could tell Tohru was smiling. She always finds a reason to smile.

What could life look like in her eyes?

In the eyes of something innocent?

It was around midnight when we got back home. Who knew Tohru worked so late? Honestly. Who works so late? She has school!

Well so do I…

But that's a different story! So… Shut up.

"You didn't have t wait for me to finish…" Tohru said as we slipped off our shoes.

"I have nothing better to do. Besides, I got an idea for the commercial." I told her as I plopped down on the couch.

"You do?" She smiled brightly.

"Yeah, I'll tell you guys tomorrow." I rolled over to my side, and began to sleep. Yeah I slept in jeans. Big freaking deal.

**A/N: Sorry guys, I know I promised a long chapter but I haven't been in the writing mood lately. I'm on break so I'll try to update again.**

**I know it sucked. You don't have to review.**

**But it'll help.**

**Love.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: This is the part of our lives when we should look through the eyes of the innocent, and live life. Yes, I just totally said that so you would think I'm halfway intelligent and wouldn't chase me for a mile with pitchforks and such. But at least I'm updating. Alright. Enjoy. Lots of drama here!**

Akito Sohma was angry enough as it is. Yeah. That's what happens when your personal doctor decides to leave you alone in the agonizing heat of winter.

And to top it off, that idiot—named Shigure—just happened to need to see Akito. Not_ want,_ need.

And this had better been good.

Momiji looked scared as Akito passed him in the hallway, determination in his eyes.

Momiji wasn't an idiot—no. Sure, at times he can act childish, but he's not stupid. He knew what he saw that night when he saw Kyo. He knew that Akito being called so urgently like that wouldn't have been for anything anymore important than the long lost _outcast_ of the family just happened to return.

Momiji looked at Akito. He looked pale, and the bags under his eyes didn't help either.

He looked like the new generation of the walking dead.

The new living, breathing generation of the walking dead.

But for the moment, forget about Momiji, forget about what Momiji saw, as a matter of fact, forget everything after the first three paragraphs and remember this: Akito was about to find out an important secret of Shigure's.

Akito slid the door open with ease, almost forgetting his anger. But the second he saw Shigure, he slammed it shut.

"This better be good." Akito grumbled, sitting in front of Shigure.

Shigure smirked his devious smile—the one that nobody but Akito saw.

"It is. I think you'll enjoy this particular one." Shigure whispered, sending the listening boy outside of the door shivers down his back. Momiji didn't know if he wanted to hear this or not.

* * *

"I do not understand this storyboard." Uotoni said, dropping my copies of the storyboards I made.

"What's not to understand? It's a commercial! It's simple! It's perfect for you!" I said, "C'mon! You even get to be the yankee in the commercial!"

She looked at me, highly agitated. "Okay. So let me get this straight." She looked back at the story boards. "Tohru is supposed to climb in a tree to save some idiot cat, and me and Hana are supposed to come out mugging the poor 'innocent' girl? What kind of commercial is that? Where are we even going to get the cat anyway?"

Me and Tohru gave each other a sideways glance.

"This school isn't the smartest. I can sneak one in no problem." I told her. The door opened from behind me, but I could care less. I just finished convincing Blondie to do my commercial idea. And honestly, nobody needed to convince Hanajima. She would have done it as long as Tohru did.

Uotoni looked at who opened the door. She smiled. "Hey! Haru!" She waved her arm behind me.

Tohru turned around. Hanajima turned around. I turned around.

And right then—right _there_—was Hatsuharu Sohma, the cursed Sohma born under the ox, staring at me. Staring at me as if I was a person with seven extra limbs.

He looked utterly shocked. Hehe. Get it? _Utter_ly? Ox?

No. You don't get it.

He looked as if he could drop dead right then and there from the shock of seeing me. And I did the first thing I could think of—I sped off outside.

The first thing I did was jump out of my seat like a bullet, dodging people who were practicing their commercials and ran out the door. I ran up a tree, hoping it would at least hide me.

I got to the thickest part of the tree.

Oh my God.

Hatsuharu just saw me.

Momiji saw me.

Man, I _hate_ fortune cookies.

* * *

"What's so good that you had to get me while I was _napping_?" Akito asked, rubbing his aching head.

"You will not believe what came onto my doorstep just two weeks ago." Shigure looked at Akito, who, gradually, got even more agitated.

"I don't _care_ if Ayame came t your house." Akuto said, having half a mind to just leave him there.

"Ayame didn't come to my house. Oh no. Nobody has been coming to my house since _he_ came." Shigure paid close attention to any clue Akito gave to him for interest. None.

"I don't know who the hell this 'he' is, but I know you are about to tell me about 'he.'" Akito lifted his head at a slightly higher angle to look at Shigure.

"This 'he' just happens to be the little cat you look for." Shigure smiled his evil smile.

Akito got interested instantly.

"Tell me more about this cat."

"He seems so grown up, so strong, so _love-struck."_

"This stray cat, he seems to be in such a predicament with his tamer."

"His tamer has been waiting quite a long time for this, has he not?"

"His tamer can wait longer."

* * *

"Haru!" Tohru almost ran up to him, hugging him, then remembered the curse.

Hatsuharu couldn't believe this.

"Was that…. Was that him?" Hatsuharu took a step back, pointing to the place Kyo just sat.

"Who? What are you doing here?" Tohru asked him.

"I'm here to drop off the detention slips for the classes! And all of a sudden some guy just runs out the door!" Haru said. The room got suddenly quiet. "If that was who Momiji saw, and you knew about this… and Akito found out… then we… you wouldn't… we'd be _strangers_"

The word his Tohru like a rock. She couldn't imagine living without the Sohmas after being such a big part of their lives for so long.

The Drama teacher walked up to Hatsuharu, receiving the detention slips. And with one last glance at Tohru, he turned around and left.

"Tohru?" Uotoni walked to her, "What just happened with you two?"

Tohru didn't need her friends right now. What she needed to do was find Kyo. So she ran to the direction he happened to run, leaving her friends behind, in the drama classroom.

**A/N: I know it's short but I am tired, and after I post it up and edit it, I'm putting on some comfy clothes and going to sleep. **

**By the way, who noticed yesterday's date? 6.9? **

**Only perverted people such as myself would see it. But it's funny, cause none of my friends noticed the date until I pointed it out. Which made us all laugh our asses off. Well. **

**Good day, good night. **

**Depends what time zone you're in. **

**R&R?**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey guys. **

**Sorry for disappearing off the face of the earth. Okay. Somewhat off. BUT I HAVE A LEGIT EXCUSE. **

**For more information go on my profile. I am seriously too lazy to explain. **

* * *

Shigure raised an eyebrow. "Longer?" He questioned.

Akito nodded. "Let's play with his head for a—" a thought struck him as an unexplainable _fear._

Shigure waited for him to continue.

"Momiji!" Akito's shrill vice rang through the room, out into the hallway, and into the far end of the Sohma house.

Momiji took a step back from the doorway, dropping his ball at the sudden noise. He couldn't hide the fear in his eyes. Somehow, Akito knew the rabbit was listening in.

"Mo_miji_!" Akito's vice reached Momiji's ears again, only this time, it was followed by a bang. He opened the door, keeping his head down low.

His feet shuffled across the floor. Akito's hand was clenched in a fist on the table in front of him. Shigure eyed Momiji curiously.

"Y-yes?" Momiji's voice quavered under the pressure.

"Has anybody _strange_ been transferred to the school?" Akito asked, his head not leaving the sight of his fist.

"Strange how?" Momiji asked, trying to think of an alibi, even though he wouldn't need one. He didn't know if anyone new came to the school or not.

Akito got up quickly and turned around to face Momiji. He grabbed the collar of Momiji's plaid shirt and clenched it in his hand, bringing him closer to his face.

"You know _exactly_ who I'm talking about. And if you don't tell me now—" Akito's eyes looked into Momiji's, reflecting pure rage.

"He's in her classes, not all, but most." Said Shigure, not affected by the sight before him.

Akito spun his head around at Shigure.

"How many?" It was more of a demand than a question.

Shigure shrugged. Akito looked back at Momiji.

"How. Many. Classes."

"I-I-I don't know! I haven't known he was in school! I thought I saw him once! But not in school!" Momiji flinched.

Akito raised the short blonde off his feet.

"Hatsuharu. What about him? Has he seen him?" Akito said through clenched teeth.

"I don't know! He didn't tell me anything!" Momiji's fear grew.

Akito dropped him on the ground.

"Get Yuki on the phone." Akito said with a sly smile. "I need to talk to him."

* * *

His first mistake was thinking the entire family had forgotten his existence. He knew they shouldn't—after all, he _was_ the outcast.

His second mistake was going to Shigure's house. He knew very well that he was practically Akito's gossip magazine.

And his third mistake, he realized, was staying long enough to get caught. Caught _twice. _

His decision to skip school was a mandatory thing. He didn't like the feeling though, not one bit. He felt _weak_, _pathetic, _like he was trying to run away.

In his attempt to hide himself, he closed all the doors, locked every window, and shut all the blinds, enclosing him in a dark house. He knew he was paranoid, but he wasn't going to willingly admit it to himself. As a matter of fact, he didn't even admit it to himself.

His paranoia caused something new: Denail.

His denial constructed a new feeling: Indecisiveness.

His indecisiveness made a thought he never thought about: Suicide.

The thought made him feel disgusting, and dirty. This is when his paranoia raised. He slipped off his shirts so quickly, you would have thought he was on fire, and threw them in a corner.

_Do it. _

He fell backwards, being from lack of light in the room, and looked around nervously. His paranoia was at an all time high.

_Just admit it. You want to die, but you want to live._

"Get out." He said hoarsely. "Get out of my head!"

_I'm not in your head, I'm you. _

"Leave me alone!"

_Me leaving you alone would be like a cat losing its ninth life. _

"Get out of my head!"

_Nothing can live forever Kyo, you know that._

"Then die and leave me alone!"

_If I die, I'll make sure I take you with me. _

Kyo's breath caught in his throat. "Just leave me alone!"

**Paranoia.**

_Choose one Kyo; happy from a lie or broken by the truth? _

"I-I don't know! Leave me alone!"

_Would you die for your freedom, or live for that girl?_

"Leave me alone already!"

_Choose one Kyo, or I can choose for you._

**Indecisiveness. **

"You won't!

_Yes I will Kyo, you've been listening to me for this long haven't you?_

"I haven't!"

_You have, Kyo, you're just too afraid to admit it._

**Denial.**

_Now the only way to shut me up is by death. _

Kyo's mind protested, but he stood up.

_Good, now go where you should. _

He unconsciously walked into the clean kitchen.

_Over there, in the corner. _

His eyes looked to the corner, even though it was dark, he could see the knife glinting in the corner, on the counter.

His feet walked to the counter and his hands picked up the knife.

_You know what to do from here. _

**Suicide. **

With that thought, the voice left, the knife looking at Kyo innocently.

The knife was sharp, about a foot in length.

Kyo didn't want this pain.

Light flooded into the house, of a door opening.

"Geeze why is it so dark in here?"

The figure walked into the kitchen, flipping the light switch on, and looked directly at Kyo.

The knife in Kyo's hands, his shirtless body, and the redness of his face.

But that didn't hide the wave of relief Yuki saw on Kyo's face when he saw him. Yuki, frozen in his spot, could only watch as Kyo dropped the knife on the floor, dropping with a _clang._

Kyo fell to the floor, on his knees, his arms on keeping him up, but even with the muscles, he felt like it could give way at any second.

**Savior.**

* * *

"You know," Yuki shifted uncomfortably on the couch beside Kyo's body. "it wasn't Akito who killed your mother."

Kyo gave no answer, he felt weak once again. And to make it worse, it was his enemy who was here to comfort him.

"He lied to you, he only wanted a reaction."

Kyo's reply was silence.

"He wanted to be pleased in a way, by which you completed."

Silence again.

"But it wasn't your fault either, so you shouldn't—"

"You aren't going to tell anyone, are you?"

Yuki stared in shock at Kyo, the one who hated his guts, but was talking to him as if he were a mere friend of his.

Kyo turned to look at Yuki in his silence, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Are you?" Kyo repeated.

Yuki remembered the sight of Kyo being suicidal.

Yuki gave a sigh, "No."

Kyo returned to his silent state.

And this time, Yuki didn't try to get him to talk, he just sat there, being Kyo's only comfort. A hated comfort.

* * *

Tohru returned home alone that day, after finding out Kyo ditched when he didn't show up for Calculus and Yuki had been excused from the rest of the day.

She didn't mind though, they had their own issues they'd rather not deal with, and she respected that.

But she was quite confused when she walked inside the house, seeing Kyo asleep on the couch and Yuki in the couch across from him doing homework. Yuki looked up at Tohru and gave her a welcoming smile and returned to his work.

Tohru took her shoes off by the entrance and walked in the living room.

"Is he okay?" Tohru pointedly gazed at Kyo's body, still shirtless. Her face tinted a slight pink when she noticed.

Yuki gazed at Kyo, and back at Tohru. "Yeah, he just had a rough day."

But so had he.

Tohru put her backpack next to the doorway and walked over to Kyo. At that moment, his face was so calm and serene, it made him look like he was getting away from the hell we call life.

"I'll go make dinner." Tohru stated, walking into the kitchen.

Yuki stared after the blue-eyed brunette. In reality, he thought, there are only titles given at school now. Titles like 'emo' or 'nerd'. And then they are described using terms that are really meaningless. Did girls really want to be called hot or sexy? But one thing was for sure. Tohru was beautiful.

* * *

**A/N: I'm on a Matt Costa trip now. Oh well. Alrighty. I gotta thank you guys for your reviews, they're so encouraging, even though when I started this story my writing style was H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E horrible. I can't believe I had enough balls to put something so bad up. Oh well. **

**Thanks for the reviews, they means a lot to me! But this story will be put on hold for some time. I apologize greatly. **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Welcome one, welcome all.  
Welcome to the magnificent hall.  
Where all your dreams beckons for your call.

.-.

Well, this is embarrassing.

Dx I'm sorry okay.

I just had things.

Recap: Kyo Sohma almost killed himself but then Yuki walked in and bam he didn't die so he's alive and Hatsuharu saw him and got upset. Yeeeeeeaaaaaaah. Best recap EVA.

Oh gosh my tummy hurts.

* * *

When Kyo awoke, Yuki was still in the living room with him. Yuki took one look at Kyo, before muting the TV and facing him.

"Akito knew you were always alive." Yuki said, "There was always a flaw in your theory."

Kyo's face involuntarily turned into the snarl it always did when Yuki talked to him about the things he messed up at. Hey, a leopard couldn't change its spots. "And what would that be?"

Yuki's eyes narrowed in the response of the snarl. "When someone with the curse dies, the next born member in the Sohma family takes the place of the missing animal. And the cat never showed up again."

Kyo's face relaxed. It was true. The minor detail that had been his biggest downfall. How could he have forgotten that?

And with a slam of the door, as Shigure walked in—it suddenly made sense to him. The reason he was always being chased isn't because Akito refused to believe that the family punching bag was dead—it was because he knew he wasn't dead. Of course, Akito could have believed he was dead at first, but when nothing showed up, it was a puzzle that pieced itself together for him.

"_I'm hooooooome!" _Shigure sang as he fluttered in. Kyo looked at him, and Shigure glanced back with the smile that fooled everybody all the time.

"Where were you all day? I came home early and you weren't here." Kyo said. Yuki looked at Kyo when he said the word 'home,' understanding that Kyo hadn't meant to say it.

"Out and about. You know, avoiding the editor. Simple little things, like errands." Shigure waved him off with his hand and walked towards the kitchen. "Oh, _Tohruuuuu!_"

He stopped halfway in between both rooms and looked at Kyo thoroughly. "Kyo," Shigure pouted and patted his nonexistent belly, "You don't have to show off, you know. Put on a shirt."

Yuki and Kyo watched Shigure until he was out of ear-shot. Yuki leaned back into the sofa and looked at Kyo.

Kyo spoke first, "Sometimes I don't know why I would have chosen to go away."

Yuki almost chuckled. "You never left, you know." He said, looking back at the TV. "He never really let you get away."

"What are you talking about?" Kyo copied, and looked back at the TV, because staring at something else that refused to give you eye contact was better that just staring at said body.

"The curse is the power he has over all of us." With that, Yuki stood up and left to his room, leaving Kyo alone and by himself.

* * *

The next day, Kyo managed all the courage he had to eat lunch with Tohru.

As usual, Tohru was the first one there. She leaned against the trunk of an olive tree with roots that obviously made the landscapers of the school give up in anything to fixing it.

This was a trooper tree.

"The tree had been here for sixty years. Since the school was established." She looked at Kyo as she talked, watching how he took in the gnarled roots that refused to be tamed. "They can't cut it down."

"How come?" Kyo asked, sitting next to her.

Tohru was silent for a moment. "This is called a memorial tree. It's for all the people who have died that have come to this school. It's something really—"

"It's really important to faculty and students who have lost someone they cared for." Kyo and Tohru looked away from the other and looked at the looming figure of Hatsuharu. He let the backpack drop off from his shoulders and onto the floor. Without hesitation, he sat down next to it and pulled out his lunchbox.

Kyo and Hatsuharu stared at each other for a long time, not saying a word. They both stayed still, as they shared silent words to each other.

"He knows you're alive." Hatsuharu said, breaking the silence.

"I know." Kyo responded, "He's always known."

Hatsuharu took a bite out of a rice cake, as Momiji walked up and stopped halfway. Kyo looked at him, and noticing the stare, Hatsuharu and Tohru followed his gaze. Momiji glanced at Hatsuharu, almost as if warning him.

"He's not going to eat you, you know." Hatsuharu said, waving Momiji over. Hesitantly, Momiji took another step before running to them. As Momiji came closer, the glistening eyes were evident.

He stopped right in front of Kyo, and got on his knees. "Kyo!" he cried, and hugged his family member. Kyo, startled at first, adjusted to the surprise and hugged him gently back. "He wants to kill you. In front of the whole family."

Kyo absorbed the words, trying his best to mask his surprise.

"Let him try." Kyo said, "It's not his life to kill."

* * *

"Hatsuharu." Kyo called the cow.

"What?" He asked, letting the music that played from his speakers switch to the chorus.

"What in the hell are we listening to?" Kyo asked, resisting the urge to grab the music device and stop it from emitting the noise.

Hatsuharu turned on his side and checked the iPod. "Call Me Maybe," he answered. "Can't change it. Pandora."

"Yeah, let's just talk as if I know what you're talking about anyway." Kyo rolled his eyes, and on cue, an acorn landed on Hatsuharu's chest. Hatsuharu jumped slightly at the sudden hit, but picked up the acorn and turned it around his fingers.

"I think the way things fall off of trees is funny."

Kyo scoffed at him, "What the hell have you been smoking?"

Hatsuharu rolled on his stomach and faced Kyo, holding up the acorn.

"Think of it: an acorn tree is considered a bearing tree because it had edible food that isn't poisonous to most beings. The acorn starts off small from the tree, and depending on how long it stays on the tree of how far away it is from the trunk tells you a lot about it." Hatsuharu explained.

Kyo grabbed the acorn, and turned it in his fingers. It was a rather big acorn compared to other ones he's seen. "Yeah? Like what?"

"The acorn falls because it becomes too big for the branch to support and the wind knocks it down, meaning it's used a lot of energy from the tree. The acorn usually stays as long as it can, but if it uses too much energy too quickly, it just falls with a good enough gust of wind. Ultimately bringing its own downfall." At the same time, Hatsuharu and Kyo looked at each other. "His downfall is coming really close."

"You're telling me he's going out on a limb at this point of his power?"

"I'm telling you he just needs a bit of wind."

* * *

"So what are you going to do?" Shigure asked. He looked at Akito with curiosity more than adoration.

Akito stopped looking through the mail, sorting bills from documents, and looked up at Shigure.

"About what?" he looked back down at the envelopes and continued sorting them.

"The great and fearsome cat."

Akito laughed mockingly. "Last I recall, I was the great figure of this family, and they all feared me."

"To be honest—" Shigure looked at the hand that slammed on the desk.

"I am going to kill that ungrateful cat." Akito spat out. "I gave him this home when nobody wanted him! And then he runs away!"

"That's your great plan?" Shigure laughed. "I could've sworn my God could've done better than something that simple. I was expecting exile, or torture! Something _cruel._"

"I'll kill him in front of everybody. And no one. _No one. _Will know why he's there." Akito spat. "You're lucky you're not a priority, Shigure. Otherwise I would kill you first."

Shigure laughed.

* * *

"I have a bird at the house." Yuki said, sitting with Hatsuharu and Kyo. Momiji quickly followed behind and sat in between the cat and the ox signs.

"Did you want me to kill it or something?" Kyo said, throwing the acorn as far as he could. "Even though I'm the cat doesn't mean I attack birds, you know."

Yuki shuddered every time Kyo referred to himself as the cat. He didn't say it with malice, just as if it were normal. As if it were a normal occurrence—but it's _not. _He's the outcast—how he was so okay with it, was beyond Yuki's comprehension.

"I take care of Yuki's bird at the house! I named her Peggy!" Momiji smiled at Yuki. Yuki gave a kind smile back at the small blonde. He wouldn't have the heart to tell him the bird was a boy with a steady name of Roger.

"Well, it doesn't stay in the cage sometimes and wanders around the property. I have a mic on it." Yuki said.

"I would ask why," Hatsuharu began, "But I'm scared of the answer."

"He flies in Akito's room a lot. And I hear things that are just _vile_."

Kyo plucked more acorns off the tree, and began throwing them as far as he could. "It's not like you guys are all that familiar with that side of him." Kyo said, "He calls himself God, but he's more like the spawn of Satan."

"I am." Momij's voice was barely above a whisper, but it was enough for Hatsuharu to turn off his music, and make Kyo to stop throwing acorns. All three turned to look at Momiji, who buried his face in his hands.

"What did he do to you?" Yuki asked.

Momiji hesitantly raised his shirt to reveal a browning patch of skin that Kyo recognized as a burn. It was a triangle. Kyo raised his shirt too, and turned his back to them, showing them the similar mark on his back, that was pink rather than brown.

"He branded him with an iron." Kyo said. "He does it when he's mad." He lowered his shirt and faced them again. "It looks really fresh, Momiji."

"Can't say I'm familiar with it." Hatsuharu sat up and tightly hugged Momiji. "But that doesn't mean he's going to stop doing it." He looked directly to Kyo. "Just a bit of wind."

"I wouldn't have a plan even if I thought of it." Kyo replied.

"You told your theory?" Yuki asked.

"It's not a theory," Hatsuharu answered. "It's just nature."

* * *

**A/N: Well, after an almost two year status of hiatus.**

**Guess who's back, dear friend.**

**This chapter is just jam packed with information. So, basically, if you're confused why they were so calm at lunch, it's because at that point, nothing surprised them.**

**Sorry Tohru only said like two lines in this chapter. **

**Review?**


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